Help your growing baby develop in the third week of your pregnancy.

What’s happening this week?

You certainly won’t feel it, but a single sperm is now breaking through your egg’s tough outer ‘shell’, resulting in fertilization. Then its nucleus merges with that of your egg. Now, the egg is known as a zygote – your single cell baby!i

Soon, the zygote will move through the fallopian tube and into the womb, where it will implant itself in your uterine lining.ii

What can you expect?

At this stage, not many women know if they’re pregnant yet. But you may already be experiencing early pregnancy symptoms. Your breasts might feel swollen and tender, similar to how they feel before your period. You might also feel more tired than usual.

Some women experience bleeding or spotting during this stage. Though this is not unusual and may not be any cause for alarm, consult your healthcare provider if this does happen.iii

What can you do to support your pregnancy?

Maintain an iron-rich diet to prevent iron-deficiency anemia, which can make you feel weak and fatiguediv. Experts recommend daily iron and folic acid supplementation for pregnant womenv. In addition, experts also recommend a minimum intake of 200mg of DHA per day to support both mom’s health and growing baby’s developmentvi.

You can also support your developing baby’s growth by eating sufficient proteinvii daily. Do remember that by eating a balanced diet this early in your journey to become a mother, you are fueling your growing baby’s overall development.

Talk to your partner about how you feel and if there is anything you are anxious about, as you wait to take a pregnancy test.

You are both about to embark on a life-changing journey that is known as parenthood, so support and love each other right from the start and your growing baby’s developmentviii will be positively influenced by all this love, too.